Breakdown of Per quanto io usi il repellente, non riesco a scacciarli.
io
I
non
not
quanto
how much/how many
per
for / in order to / because of
usare
to use
li
them (masculine direct object)
riuscire
to manage / to succeed
a
(linking a verb to a following infinitive)
il repellente
the repellent
scacciare
to drive away
Questions & Answers about Per quanto io usi il repellente, non riesco a scacciarli.
Why is usi in the subjunctive here?
The conjunction per quanto (meaning "no matter how much" or "however much") introduces a concessive clause and requires the subjunctive. Since the action is happening in the present, it takes the present subjunctive usi.
Is it necessary to include the subject pronoun io before usi?
It is highly recommended for clarity. In the present subjunctive, the conjugations for io, tu, and lui/lei are identical (they are all usi). Adding io makes it immediately clear who is using the repellent.
Why translate "I cannot" as non riesco a instead of non posso?
How is scacciarli formed?
Scacciarli is a combination of the infinitive scacciare (to drive away) and the direct object pronoun li (them). When attaching a pronoun to an infinitive in Italian, you always drop the final -e of the verb before adding the pronoun.
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